Feeding mechanism for can parts.



P. P. MoCOL..

FEEDING MEGHANISM FOR GAN PARTS.

APPLIUATION 111.1111 r1:B.4.191o.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914,

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

www@

W WWA i@ n F. P. MGGOLL.

FEBDING MEGHANISM PoR GAN PARTS.

` APPLICATION FILED FEB.4,1910.

l106,575 A APatenvzed Aug. 11,1914.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

A the same, reference being had to the accomwith a preferred form of my invention; l`ig.

Eastport', county of Washington, State of .pose of feeding can .a nur.

FRANCIS P. MCCOLL, OF EASTPORT, AlVLLINE, ASSIGNOR 'J'.Ol AMERICAN KEY CAN COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

.A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FEEIDING MECHANISIVI FOR CAN PARTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1li, i914.,

To all whom z't may concern: y

Be it known that I, FRANCIS P. MCCOLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Feeding Mechanism for Can Parts, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usel panying drawings, which form apart of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means "for automatically feeding can parts to a carrier.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeding device which is controlled in such a manner that a can part will not be fed into a carrier unless the conditions are proper.

The various features of novelty,whereby -my invention is characterized will hereinafter be` pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a full understanding of my invention, and of its objects and advantages, reference mav be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a'transverse section throughja can making machine equipped in accordance 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the rack for containing a supply of can parts being omitted; Fig. 3 is a section taken at right angles to the plan of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a View partly in plan and partly in section, the plane of the section being approximatelv online 4.-,-4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in an apparatus for feeding rectangular covers or heads to a carrier for can bodies, but it will, of course, be understood that while I have, for the sake of brevity, illustrated only one special form of apparatus, I do not desire to be limited to an apparatusfor feeding can heads of 'any particular shape or to an apparatus which necessarily feeds lcan heads as distinguished from other parts which go to make up a can; for my invention is applicable for the purparts of variouskinds or even complete cans.

Referring to the drawlngs, A represents a v versely of the carrier and this may conveniently be accomplished by providing the table with upwardly projecting flanges C and D' between which-the cans pass. Arranged above the table at the point where the covers are to be applied is a supporting frame E having therein an opening e of such size and so located that a cover dropping therethrough will be guided into position on the top of a can lying beneath the opening. Revolubly supported above the member E is a holder F which has a cover receiving opening G extending therethrough. The shape of this opening, viewed in the direction of the axis of rotation of the holder, is that of a plurality of covers superimposed upon each other with their long axes arranged at an 4angle to each other. In the simplest form, this opening is made cruciform, having the outline of two covers laid upon each other with their corresponding axes arranged at right angles; this being the form illustrated. The parts are so proportioned that in one position the opening e registers with one of the arms of the opening in the holder, While'the other arm extends transversely thereof and beyond the sides thereof so that the member E forms a ledge across each end of the latter arm. lVhen the holder is rotated 90 degrees, the conditions are reversed, the arm which previously registered with the opening c now extendingtransversely thereof and the A other arm being brought into registration with the opening e. In using the apparatus the holder is filled with can heads or covers as indicated at I-I and I, these being arranged alternately with their corresponding axes `arranged at right angles to each other. In the arrangement shown, the lowermost head or cover extends transversely across the-opening e and is supported at its ends by the portions of the member E lying at the sides of the opening.

, When the holder is rotated through an angle of 90 degrees the lowermost cover is grad-ually lbrought into registration with the opening e until nally it is inposition to drop through this opening. It will be seen that only one cover or head can drop at a time, since the second cover from the bottom will lie transversely across the opening e at the moment the lowermost cover is dropping and will therefore come to rest upon the ledges at the sides of the opening e and b e prevented from dropping upon the carrier until the holder has again been rotated through an angle of 90 degrees. It willI also be seen that as the holder is rotated the heads of covers will be dropped one at a time whenever the holder has completed an' f so angular movement of 90 degrees.

In order that the heads or covers may be` supplied at the right moment in theprogress of a can alon the table and also to prevent a cover from eing delivered unless there be a can in position to receive it, I place the Hange D. The' cam has fixed thereto a pinion L; the holder is provided with gear teeth M distributed circumferentially thereof; and the pinion and the' gear teeth on the holder are connected together by means of intermediate gears N and N. The parts are so proportioned that an angular movement of 90 degrees on the part of the cam produces a corresponding angular movement in the holder. y i

In Figs. 1 and 2 the parts are shown in the positions which they occup can O lies directly under t e opening e, a cover H having beenf delivered. Assuming that thecarrier is tralveling downwardly as viewed in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the can, engaging with the arm 7c of the cam rotates the cam 'in the clock-wise direction. At this time the succeeding arm k of lthe cam lies in the path of the next can O in the carrier. The rotation of the cam b the foremost'can continues until the arm has .been pushed clear of the table and the cam remains stationary until the can O strikes against the arm k and completes the 90 degree movement of the cam. As soon as this occurs, the lowerto the holder by one of the cans after it has received Vits cover, is insuicient to bring a second cover into registration with the opening e and consequently this'cover will not be delivered until another can comes along f correspondin at the time a consequently no cover will I be delivered when there is no can to receive it and there will therefore be no wasteof covers.

The holder may be made as deep as desired so as to hold a large number of covers;

,but7 in order that a single. attendant may take care of asv manymachines as possible, I prefer to make use of detachable racks into which the heads or covers may be stacked at a point remote from the machine, these racks being then mounted upon the holdersl and supplying them with heads orcovers as required. Such la rack may conveniently -consist of a base P having an opening p large enough to permit the covers to pass therethrough; there being four'posts R' extending upwardly from the base and Varranged in the form of a square whose side is equal tothe narrow dimension of the heads or covers. By laying the covers one upon the other between the posts, with the axes of alternate covers'arranged at rig t angles to each othera stack of any' desired height may be produced. When such a rack is superposed upon one of the holders with the lowermost cover registerin with one of the varms ofthe cruciform openmgin the holder, the stack is properly positioned to feedthe coversl into the holder as required. The positioning of the racks upon the holders may be' facilitated and they may be held positivel against displacement the holder.` During the transfer of the racks from the points at whichthey are loaded to the'machineswhich the are to supply, the covers ma be prevente from dropping out through t e bottom in any suitable way, as

for example by placin the hand or some other support beneath t e stack.

While I have illustrated andj described in detail only av single preferred form of vmy invention I do not desire to be limited to the particular structural details so illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention -constituting the -appended claims.4

What I claim is;

1. In combination, a can carrier, movable cover-delivering mechanism arranged to support a stack of covers, means associated with said mechanism for causing a cover to be delivered whenever, said ,mechanism reaches a predetermined point-in its movement, actuating means for said mechanism, and a device controlled by a can in said carrier for governing said actuating means to cause the lowermost cover to be delivered when the can reaches a'point directly under the stack.

2. In combination, a can carrier, coverdelivering mechanism arranged to support a staclroil covers, a Chute leading from said mechanism to a point adjacent to said carrier, and a device controlled by a can in said carrier for causing said mechanism vto deliver a cover to said chute when the can vreaches said point.

. gular positions, a carrier 'for can members,

and means controlled by a can member in said carrier for rotating said holder.

4. In combination, a rotatable holder for supporting a stack of can parts, said holder having la receiving chamber vcruciform in cross section to permit can parts longer in one direction than the other to be stacked with corresponding axes arranged at an angle to each other, a stationary support for said holder arranged beneath the Same, said ,support having an opening therethrough in position to register successively with the several arms of the cruciform opening in the holder as the holder is revolved.

5. In combination, a rotatable holder for supporting a stack of similar can parts each of which has one transverse dimension longer than another of its transverse dimensions, said holder having a receiving chamber shaped to permit said can parts to be stacked upon each other in various angular positions about the axis of rotation offsaid holder, a stationary support` beneath the holder and having an opening therethrough of a size and shape to permit the loWermost can part of the. stack to drop through the opening when that can part reaches a predetermined angular position during the rotation of the holder, a carrier for-can members, and means controlled by a can member in said carrier for rotating said holder.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS r. MCco'LL.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. Zuname, Gmo. J. S'Tnuss.4 

